THE GAME

Come, let us play a game, little boy,

        To while the world away.

What shall be - tell me - our harmless toy?

        At what shall we play?

Shall we play - shall we? - at being great?

        No, nor at being grand

Shall we believe that we are Fate

        And make up lives out of sand?

No, little boy, we will play that we are

        Happy, and that we are gay;

Let us pretend we are dreams, very far

        From the world in which we play.